The Role of Religion in Gardens

In Ancient Rome, gardens served as a status symbol among the wealthier of Roman citizens. Gardens were a place of otium, where people could gather to relax and discuss great ideas. This, however, was not their only function. Roman gardens had religious elements, such as statues or frescoes dedicated to gods and goddesses having to do with nature and the outdoors. It was not uncommon to find spaces dedicated to the house gods, either. Aediculas, or small shrines, were often placed in gardens to give people the opportunity to pay their respects to the gods of their time. Below is an example of what an aedicula may have looked like in an Ancient Roman garden.

Medieval gardens were much more varied, depending on who the garden belonged to and what it's main purpose was, but some of them echoed the religious aspects of the Roman garden. During Medieval times, Christianity heavily influenced all types of art, because creating art and architecture dedicated to God was seen as a way to repay debts and get into heaven. As the Middle Ages progressed, it became popular to associate the Virgin Mary with gardens. An enclosed garden was symbolic of her virginity when Christ was born, and this idea appeared repeatedly in paintings and tapestries throughout the era. Even so, the gardens themselves did not have much religious symbolism unless they were monastic cloisters. The cloisters, much like the Roman gardens, were seen as a space in which one could relax and ponder deep thoughts, but this time, they were most likely about God and the Bible. Cloisters sometimes had features such as a central fountain and four streams flowing from it to represent the Garden of Eden and the four rivers that flowed from it, and other symbolism that brought those who spent time there closer to God. This photo is one I took at Salisbury Cathedral in England, and exemplifies the simplistic beauty of cloister gardens.

For Islamic gardens, religious influence is almost the sole reason why the gardens even existed. According to Muhammad, Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty. Therefore, the creation of beautiful things became a way to worship, and it was integrated into the daily lives of Muslims. The beautiful things they created were often understated but incredibly detailed, and this can be seen in everything from paintings to gardens. The focus in Islamic gardens was often intricate design work on fountains, walls and roofs, and it took form in arabesque, calligraphic and geometric designs. This intricacy can be seen throughout La Alhambra, in Spain. The carvings cover nearly every surface, and act as a small but powerful reminder to celebrate Allah each time one walks through the gardens.

Sources:

http://www.utexas.edu/courses/italianarch/pompeii.html (Roman Aedicula)